Concussion detonator



March Z2, 1949. 1 H, CHASE 2,465,009

coNcUssIoN DEToNAToR Filed oct. 11, 1945 mum Patented Mar. 22,1949

UNITED s FFiC-E CONCUSSIQN DETONATOR Leland H. Chase, Port Washington, N. Y., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of War Application October 11, 1945, Serial No. 621,766

3 Claims.

The invention relates to detonators for exvention. This cylinder terminates at one end in an enlarged radially extending circular headl 3, the latter having at its periphery a right-angular outwardly-extending integral flange 4. The peripheries of the circular head 3 and its integral flange 4 are contiguous and provided with screw ing electrical wires or detonating cords are susceptible to breakage and disconnection, whereupon the previously connected explosive charges become inoperative.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a detonator which operates by concussion, whereby a plurality of the same may be disposed underwater in relative adjacency and operated by concussion waves produced by an underwater explosion.

Another object is the provision of :a detonator of the class described which is cheap and easy to manufacture and durable in service.

The invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described, and as particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative of but one of several ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed.

In said drawings:

` Figure 1 is a perspective of the device of the concussion detonator of the invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal view, mostly in section;

`Figure 3 is a fragmentary view corresponding to the showing of Figure 2, but with certain of the operating instrumentalities of the device in other operative positions;

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary end elevation taken from within the device and illustrating the manner in which the firing pin is held against excessive inward movement prior to its intended manner of operation.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates a cylinder which forms the body of the concussion detonator of the inthreads. The outer end of the flange 4 is recessed, as at 6, to receive the periphery of a stressed metal disk 1, the outer surface of the latter being ush with the extremity of the flange 4. This stressed metal disk 1 or snap diaphragm, constitutes a concussion responsive element, :as will appear more fully hereinafter.

A resilient and Waterproof disk 9 extends completely over the outer end of the flange 4 and,

together with the stressed metal disk l, is held in place by an internally threaded cap I0, which engages the screw-threaded contiguous peripheries of the circular head 3 and integral flange 4, a clamping ring Il being provided between the said cap and the disk 9. The face of the internally-threaded cap III is grilled as at I2, to permit the Water in Which it is to be submerged to contact the outer face of the resilient and waterproof disk 9 and through the latter to actuate the irnmediately adjacent stressed metal disk, or snap diaphragm l.

The circular head 3 is provided with a central aperture I3 which communicates with the center of the bore of the cylinder 2 as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the diameter of the said central aperture I3 being considerably smaller than the diameter of the bore of the cylinder 2. This construction and arrangement permits the central aperture I3 to receive a pin I4, one end of Which extends into proximity with the center of the inner face ofv the stressed metal disk 1, while the other end thereof extends into the cylindrical body 2 for a substantial distance and has integrally formed thereon a radial flange I6. This radial flange I6 serves as an abutment for one of a coiled spring I'l which is i'ltted over the pin I4 and, at its other end, contacts the inner end of the cylinder 2. On its side which is remote from the coiled spring Il, the radial flange I6 merges into a frusto-conical surface I8 which terminates at the periphery of the pin I4. The purpose of this will be later described.

The end of the cylinder 2 which extends away from the circular head 3 is internally screwthreaded to receive an externally screw-threaded centrally-bored plug 2U. This plug 20 is provided with a radial flange 2| which cooperates with an annular gasket 22 to obtain a watertight seal for the end of the cylinder 2.

The inner end of the central bore of the plug is enlarged, as at 24, to receive a percussion cap 25 which is exposed to contact by a ring pin 26 on the inner end of the p-in I4. The outer end of the central bore of the plug 20 communicates with the main explosive charge which is generally indicated at X.

The device of the invention comprises an arrn ing means which positively prevents the premature operation of the firing pin 26. This arming means comprises a short sleeve 21 which is disposed radially of the cylinder 2, and connected thereto in any suitable manner, as for example, by the screw-threaded relationship shown. The center of this short sleeve 21 is aligned with the center of a circular opening 28 in the Wall of the cylinder. At the inner end of the short sleeve 21 there is disposed a gasket 29; and between the gasket 29 and the adjacent surface of the cylinder 2 there is clamped the periphery of a flexible disk 30 which is substantially impervious to Water. This flexible disk rests against a ball SI which is disposed in the circular opening 28 i the cylinder 2.

A plug 32 of metal or other suitable material is. disposed within the sleeve ill' and rests on the exible disk 3Q. The upper end of this plug 32 has a transverse slot 33 which is adapted to register with an aligned pair of apertures 34 in the sleeve 21.

A quickly removable cotter pin 35 extends through the apertures 34 in the sleeve 21 and the transverse slot 33 in the plug 32 and positively prevents the movement of the said plug away from the ball 3l. In this position the ball 3| extends into the cylinder 2 and makes contact with the pin I4 and the adjoining truste-conical surface I 8 of the radial flange I, all as shown in Figure 2. This relationship effectively prevents the movement of the ring pin 26 into contact with the percussion cap 25.

Referring to Figures 2 and (l, a plug of salt or other water-soluble material rests upon the plug 32 and is held thereagainst by a cap Sil which is detachably secured to the outer end of the sleeve 21. This cap Si) is apertured, as are the adjacent portions of the sleeve 21 Referring particularly to Figure 5, that portion of the pin I 4 which is disposed within the circular head 3 is provided with an annular groove 43. Spaced inwardly of its annular groove 40, the pin I4 carries a pair of substantially straight spring wires 4I which are joined at. their ends and connected by clips 42. The midsections of the substantially straight spring wires 4I are separated and straddle the pin I4. In this position, the clips 42 may be in Contact with the circular head and, if desired, welded thereto. On the other hand, the spring wires 4I may initially be seated in the annular groove in the pin I4 with the clips 42 substantially spaced from the enlarged head 3, In either case, when the Water-soluble plug 31 dissolves, the coiled spring I1 causes the pin I4 to move toward the percussion cap 25 until the spring wires 4I lie flat against the enlarged head 3 with the said spring Wires seated in the-annular groove 46. This eliminates all necessity for pre-loading the snap diaphragm.

The coiled spring I1on1y serves toposition the pin I4 after dissolution of the water-soluble plug- 21. After the positioning of the pin I4, the coiled spring I1 is nearly expended, and it requires a force of only a few pounds to dislodge the substantially straight spring Wires 4I from the annular groove 4l). This dislodging force is much below the force delivered by the snap diaphragm 1 to drive the firing pin 26 toward the percussion cap 25.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A concussion detonator for firing underwater mines, which comprises, in combination, a housing, a firing pin mounted in the housing, a percussion `cap mounted in the housing and adapted to be engaged by the firing pin and exploded thereby, a concussion Wave-sensitive, snap-acting diaphragm mounted adjacent to the firing pin for actuating the ring pin respcnsively to impact of concussion waves against the diaphragm, restraining instrumentalities for holding the ring pin in inoperative position for a predetermined time, means for shifting the ring pin into readyto-iire position respcnsively to expiration of the said predetermined time, and yieldable means ics restraining the firing pin in the ready-to-re position until the ring pin is operatively engaged by the diaphragm respcnsively to impact of concussion waves against the diaphragm, when the restraining means yield to permit detonating engagement of the ring pin with the percussion cap.

2. A concussion detonator for ring underwater mines, which comprises, in combination, a housing, a ring pin mounted in the housing, a percussion cap mounted in the housing and adapted to be engaged by the firing pin and exploded thereby, a concussion Wave-sensitive, snap-acting diaphragm mounted adjacent to the ring pin for actuating the firing pin respcnsively to impact of concussion Waves against the dia.- phragm, restraining instrumentalit'ies lfor holdingthe ring pin in inoperative position for a predetermined time, the restraining instrumentalities including a flange on the firing p-in, a restraining member engaging the flange, and means yieldably urging the restraining member against the flange, a piston engaging the said yieldable means, a housing for the piston, and Water-soluble material in the housing, a spring acting under compression against .the flange on the firing pin, whereby upon solution of the water-soluble material in the housing in Water in which the mine is submerged, the ring pin is shifted from inoperative position to ready-tofire position, and yieldable means on the firing pin for holding the ring pin in ready-to-iire position until the yieldable means become released under impact of the diaphragm against the nring pin, whereby the diaphragm forces the firing pin against the percussion cap to explode the cap.

3. A concussion detonator for liring under- Water mines, which comprises, in combination, a main housing, a firing pin mounted in the housing and adapted to be engaged by thenring pin and exploded thereby, a concussion wavesensitive, snap-acting diaphragm mounted in the housing adjacent to the firing pin for actuating the firing pin respcnsively to impact of concussion waves against the diaphragm, a frusto-conical retaining flange on the firing pin, an auxiliary housing mounted on the main housing, a piston in the auxiliary housing, a ball-locking member engaged by the piston and urged thereby against the frusto-conical surface of the said retaining flange, a water-soluble material in the auxiliary housing behind the said piston, means in the housing permitting access of water to the Water-soluble material, a compressed spring between the said frusto-conical flange and the main housing for urging the firing pin against the ball-locking member which thereby is caused to become displaced upwardly along the said frustoconical surface of the retaining ange and the ring pin is shifted from inoperative locked position to ready-to-fire position, and yieldable means on the firing pin adapted to engage a portion of the main housing responsively to the shifting of the firing pin to ready-to-re position for holding the said firing pin out of engagement with the percussion cap, While beingyieldable under actuating movements of the diaphragm against the ring pin responsively to concussion-Wave impacts against the diaphragm.

' Y LELAND H. CHASE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,298,141 Wrightson et a1. Mar. 25, 1919 1,474,548 Pape Nov. 20, 1923 10 2,114,213 Clauser Mar. 12, 1938 2,240,574 Eichschmidt May 6, 1941 2,336,701 Rasmussen Dec. 14, 1943 2,368,747 Doe Feb. 6, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 5 Number Country Date 6,973 Great Britain May 10, 1915 165,108 Great Britain June 30, 1921 495,845 France July 12, 1919 

